Over the Jusenkyo Spring
by Remixer
Summary: OTH Ranma 12 Crossover. Ranma falls in a different sping and now he heads right deep into the main trouble. Please rad & review. Rated just for sure.
1. Chapter 1

(A/N): This is a OTH/Ranma1/2 Crossover. It begins with the: Ranma fell into a different spring plot and then Ranma moves to a well known city. For everyone who doesn't know Ranma ½: Ranma is a martial artist who is a little bit overpowered and with a huge girl problem. Thanks to his father he have 3 Fiancees and 1 crazy girl is after him. In this story I will alter the story from the beginning of his biggest problem.

Over the Jusenkyo spring.

Chapter one: I TURN INTO A WHAT?

**Somewhere in China:**

Genma a overweight bald man in a white training gi (This things martial artists wear during the training) and his son Ranma who was better build with black hair, tied in a pigtail wandered trough the Chinese mountains. He had taken his son from home as he was 6 to go with him on a long training trip. They arrived at their destination and looked down to a valley with over hundred different springs. Out of each spring reached long bamboo polls.

**Ranma's POV:**

Finally we arrived at this place. This springs don't look too impressive.

"Is that all pop? Just a bunch of springs?"

"Don't complain you sound like a girl."

'You sound like a girl' Really if I would get a Yen every time I hear that…. Anyway there is the guide.

**Normal POV:**

The Guide went to the Fat, bald man and the younger one with the pigtail.

"Welcome to the cursed grounds of Jusenkyo."

The guide saw how the two martial artists jumped on different bamboo polls. The guide panicked.

"Please, sirs very bad if you fall in springs."

Ranma and his father don't listened.

"Are you ready son?"

Ranma had an bored look on his face.

"Yeah, yeah, just come one."

Genma jumped to his son but Ranma dodged and kicked his father in mid-air into a spring.

"Already finished old man?" Ranma remarked cocky.

The guide yelled from the ground.

"Too bad, your father fell in spring of drowned Panda, very tragic legend of Panda who drowned there 2000 Years ago. Now, whoever fall in spring take body of Panda."

Ranma looked at the bubbles in the water where his father landed. With a huge splash a big panda in the same clothes as Ranmas father jumped out and landed on a bamboo poll. Now Ranma panicked, he don't want to become a panda… or something else. The panda used his sons shocked state and knocked him over the place. Ranma wasn't religious but he send a small prayer.

"Please God let me land on solid ground."

He flew over a spring and…. on solid ground.

"Oh very lucky sir, you are still dry."

Ranma laughed. Finally luck was on his side. But then he slipped on the muddy ground and fell backwards into a different spring. He had an very angry expression on his face. He looked to the sky and whispered before he hit the surface.

"I friggin hate you."

Under the water he felt a strange tingle trough his whole body, like he was pressed together by an unseen force. Then there was a pulling feeling in his spine. He begun to swim to the surface. Did he shrink? Everything seemed sotall at the moment. He reached the coast and stared in the face of the now gigantic Jusenkyo guide who pulled him out.

"Too bad, you first landed safe on the ground and now you fell in spring of drowned squirrel, very tragic legend of squirrel what drowned here 1800 years ago."

Ranma looked at his hands. They were furry and thin. He did the only thing that came in his mind. He fainted.

**Flashback (The flashbacks in this chapter are all in Ranma's POV) :**

Iran trough the forest. A pack of wolves was close to me.My father had a new training idea. He wrapped me in meat and send mein a wolf-cave. Speed training he said.

**Guides hut:**

Ranma woke up. Immediately he looked at his hands. He was human again. A huge smile crossed his face. It was just a nightmare. Then the guide came in.

"Ah I see honoured customer is awake."

"Yeah." Ranma groaned. "And I'm glad it was all just a bad dream."

**Flashback:**

I swam trough the river, just barely able to get to the surface to breath.I was a very good swimmer butmy father thought it was a good strength training to letme swim whileI hadmy backpack filled with heavy stones.

**Back to reality:**

"I'm very sorry honoured customer but you really fell in spring of drowned squirrel."

"What? But I'm human."

"Yes, but hot water changes you back."

Ranma was happy with that answer.

"Why didn't you say so? Then this shouldn't be such a big deal."

The guide shook his head.

"Hot water is just temporal cure. Next time you get splashed with cold water you change back to squirrel. Same goes for other man."

**Flashback:**

I was 6 years old and cried.My father tookme away from home for this training trip.I sawmy mother. She wavedme goodbye and since thenI never saw her again.

**Reality:**

Genma (In human form) came in.

"Well son, this isn't too bad after all."

"NOT TOO BAD? Are you crazy old man? I change into a squirrel every time I get splashed with cold water."

"Aren't you ready to give your life for the arts?"

Ranma growled.

"My life, yes. My humanity, NO!"

Genma begun with a fake cry.

"Oh why do I deserve such an ungrateful son?"

**Flashback:**

Istood in front of a pit, wrapped from head to toe in Japanese fish sausage.I was afraid.I didn't want to go down there again,I didn't want to learn THIS technique.

"Please dad, I don't want to go into the pit. I promise I learn all the other techniques but please not again."

"Son, you have to learn the Neko-ken in order to become the world greatest martial artist."

With this words he tossedme into the darkness of the pit. Down there I looked with horror at the glowing eyes of the dozens of cats. He knew what comes now. All the cats pounced at him and begun to scratch and bite him. A sharp pain coveredmy whole body.I was even too afraid to curl into a more protecting position. Then everything went black.I learned the Neko-ken and lostmy trust formy father.

**Reality:**

Ranma had enough. This was the last time his father messed up his life. As his father didn't look he grabbed a frying pan and knocked him out cold. He went to the next room and came back with his backpack. He stuffed it with everything he needed for his journey and some of his fathers technique scrolls. The guide gave him a questioning look. Ranma opened the door and looked at the guide.

"When he wakes up, tell him that was the last time he ruined my life. He will never see me again."

Then Ranma left. He didn't know where to go but he heard good stories about America.

(A/N): In the Manga Ranma falls into the spring of the drowned girl. But how should that bring him together with the hedge crew? I hope you will enjoy the next chapter. Ranma arrives at El Rancho Camelot.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the Jusenkyo spring.

Chapter 2: Your way to a more chaotic life.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. And there is nothing a lawyer could take from me anyway.

Ranma really made it in the last two years. After he arrived at the village of the Chinese amazons he got rid of the: "Girls are weak." Image his father injected him and learned three thing. First was to accept his curse, second that he could talk to animals while in cursed form and the last were some neat amazon techniques like the Chestnut fist. (An attack that gives his fists the speed of Hammy.) He managed to get to America. He won a lot of money with martial arts tournaments. Enough money to buy himself a nice house in a place called: "El Rancho Camelot." He arrived at the house. This place looked pretty boring, but he didn't care at the moment, all he wanted is to relax for a time. He didn't knew that he was watched.

"And RJ? How is the new one?"

Verne asked the newest member of their family.

"Well he looks a bit odd."

RJ wasn't familiar with Asian people, Asian food yes but not the people.

"Has he a dog?"

Verne was carefully with that after what happened last time.

"No,"

"Cat?"

"No, nothing."

RJ climbed down the tree.

"OK, guys listen,"

Verne sat down next to Hammy, then there were Ozzie and Heather, Stella and Tiger, and the porcupine family.

"A new human moves in that means,"

Hammy held his hands high in the air and waved like a maniac.

"Yes… Hammy?"

"Welcoming party!"

"Right, now we sneak in and while he chats with his neighbours, we get some food."

They all cheered. But no one knew what they just got themselves into.

Ranma in the time jumped on the nearest fence. An balance training but he just got used to this. And besides there was a lesser chance to get splashed with cold water. He finally arrived at his new house. There was a man who greeted him.

"Hello Mr. Saotome, I am Jim I'm the… caretaker of this little paradise." (I'm German and don't know what this Jobs name is in English.)

Ranma almost asked, 'The Janitor?' but he gave up his cocky remarks. Not whole, but enough to don't mess up with the wrong people.

"I talked with a woman called Gladys. What happened to her?"

"Oh she is in Jail for using a forbidden animal trap."

"Sounds like that serves her right."

"Yes, this trap was forbidden for a good reason."

"Well, anyway here is the key for your home, welcome to El Rancho Camelot."

Then he gave Ranma the keys and drove away in his car. Ranma went in and immediately did some emergency preparations. An extra set of clothes in every room and a good reachable thermos with the hot water he would need for the rest of his half life. He looked around his garden and carefully remembered the position of the irrigation systems. And he looked at his pool. He sighed, he loved swimming but he knew what that means. Turning into a squirrel.

As he closed his eyes he sensed some Animals in the small forest behind the hedge. If he was right they were: A Racoon, a turtle, a skunk, two Opossums, five porcupines three of them kids, a squirrel. He had a bitter smile on his face. And much to his horror, a cat.

"Oh please everything but not a c-c a feline."

Ranma was so badly afraid of cats since the Neko-ken that he barely managed to speak out the word cat. He decided for some training katas to clear his mind. He got into a fighting stance and begun to fight against his unseen enemies. RJ watched him carefully from the nearest tree.

"What is he doing RJ? What is he doing?"

Hammy asked while jumping up and down.

"I'm not sure, it looks like he's fighting but he is all alone."

"Why should he fight without an enemy?"

"I don't…. know."

RJ's jaw dropped as he saw what the pigtailed human did next.

Ranma concentrated enough to build an bright blue aura. RJ and Hammy almost fell from the tree while watching him.

"Do you see what I see Hammy?"

"Pretty lights."

"How does he do that?"

"Don't know. Tell the others."

With this words, Hammy zoomed off.

Ranma noticed the quick movement. His aura faded and he looked in RJ's direction.

RJ quickly his behind some leaves. Ranma was confused. The Squirrel he sensed had an incredible speed. That could be interesting. He went back to the house and then the doorbell rang. As Ranma opened the door he saw 4 people. A family with a kid and a single man. The woman greeted.

"Hello, we are your new neighbours. We are the Stevens, I am Miriam, this is my husband Jack and our son Toni."

"And my name is John, nice to meet you."

Ranma was a bit uneasy around other people. He was most of the time alone.

"Thanks for the welcome, but I didn't prepare anything."

"Oh no need we brought something with us."

They all went in and made themselves comfortable in the living room after they brought the food into the kitchen. After Ranma put them all into the fridge he went to his visitors for a little chat before dinner.

Meanwhile RJ told Verne, Ozzie and Hammy his plan.

"OK Verne, you will stay here and tell us if someone comes. Ozzie, you help me to get everything out of the ridge. Hammy, you get everything to the log."

They all nodded.

In the living room Ranma told the others about the martial arts tournaments and about some of the more simple techniques. _Like they would believe me if I tell them about the Umisenken_ (A technique that makes Ranma invisible) _Or the Hiryu Shoten Ha. _(In this technique Ranma uses the hot fighting spirit _of his enemy _and his own cold concentration to create a tornado). Ranma thought. But suddenly he felt some of the animals he sensed sooner in his kitchen.

"I got to go to the bathroom."

"OK Ranma, can we look at some of your prices?"

"Of course."

As Ranma left the room, he quickly went into the Umisenken and sneaked past the guarding turtle. _They are pretty good organised._ As Ranma arrived in the kitchen he saw how the Racoon and the Opossum stole the food and gave it to an incredibly fast squirrel. Then the Opossum threw a packet of juice to the Racoon. The cap of the packet was apparently not really closed and some of the juice landed right on Ranma. He felt a familiar pulling and was a squirrel. The lucky thing was that he managed to hold the Umisenken and that his clothes became one with his fur. Ranma went around a corner and came out of the Umisenken. He stood behind the Racoon who ordered the Opossum to be more careful. Then he asked.

"What are you guys doing here?"

TBC.

(A/N): CLIFFHANGER!

Now Ranma meets the Hedgies and I give you some information about Ranma's special attacks. Ps: I'm not 100 sure about the names.

Amigurenken: Or Chestnut fist. This attack helps him to get his fists on Hammy's speed level. The training is easy. Get some Chestnuts out of an fire without burning yourself.

Umisenken: Ranma changes his Chi to make himself invisible. I don't know exactly how it goes.

Moko Takabisha: He combines his Chi with his really big pride to do a powerful Chi blast.

Hiryu Shoten Ha: Ranma moves his enemy in a spiral while he uses the soul of ice meditation to produce cold energy. With the heat of battle from his enemy he can create a tornado at the end of the spiral.

Bakai Tensuke: The breaking point technique allows him to break a rock into tiny pieces. It only works on rocks.

Hope you enjoy this Chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the Jusenkyo Spring

Chapter 3: Anything Goes Food Stealing

"What are you guys doing here?"

RJ turned around and saw a squirrel. This one had more reddish fur than Hammy, and he was apparently not a hyperactive maniac.

"Who are you?" RJ asked a bit warily.

"My name is Ranma," the squirrel, Ranma, told him. "What are you doing here?"

RJ regarded him for a second before deciding to tell him the truth, "My name is RJ, and we are stealing some food."

Ranma looked puzzled at this, "Why aren't you looking for some in the forest?"

"The forest ground is just not big enough to feed the whole family during hibernation," RJ explained.

Family. This was the one forbidden word around Ranma. The only family he knew was his father, and he took him away from his mother torturing him for ten years. Alas, he new he couldn't blame him.

"Who is it down there, RJ?" Ozzie asked from inside the fridge.

"It's a new one; his name is Ranma," the raccoon told the possum.

Ozzie came down from the refrigerator and greeted Ranma.

"Hello Ranma, my name is Ozzie," the possum, Ozzie, introduced himself. "Say, where do you come from?"

"Hello," Ranma said. "I'm from Japan."

"Where is Japan?" Ozzie asked, curious. He had never heard of the place before.

"Oh, it's very far away," Ranma told him. "On the other side of the world."

"Wow. I bet you came with the human who lives here."

Ranma smiled and thought to himself, 'If he just knew.'

"Yes, that's the way I came here," Ranma said nodding his head convincingly.

Ranma suddenly remembered that he had guests.

"Well, I have to go," Ranma told the two woodland creatures. "Please tell me where you live, and then we can talk, okay?"

RJ and Ozzie looked at each other for a moment speaking to one another with their eyes. They both nodded having come to an agreement to trust their newfound friend.

"Well then, my friend, we live behind the hedge in the garden. You can't really miss us," RJ told Ranma before adding in, "It's not like the humans left us much space."

Ozzie seems to be serious looking at that last sentence, but RJ kept a carefree smile. Ranma concluded that RJ might not always have been a member of this family.

Ranma gave his friends a quick smile and nod before he darted off to another room. He looked around the room before spotting his emergency thermos. Pouring it over his head he turned back into his human form and noticed that he still had his clothes on.

"Strange," Ranma murmured. "Normally, I have to hide some clothes in the rooms."

Then it hit him. This was the first time he changed in red clothes. All the other times he had his white training Gi or a green jacket on.

'So, I just have to wear something that's the same color as my fur when I'm a squirrel, and there'll be no problems!" Ranma thought with a smile. He went back to the living room to his guests.

"Sorry that it took me so long," Ranma apologized. "Now, let's get something to eat."

Ranma had said the last part a bit louder than he needed to so he could warn his new friends. He felt how they made it out and smiled in relief.

When they entered the kitchen Ranma played dumb and made a confused expression.

"What happened here?" Ranma asked looking at the mess his new friends left. The refrigerator door had been left wide open.

The woman, Miriam, sighed and explained to him the reason for this mess, "There are some animals who like to steal food. Someone should really get them out of our neighborhood."

Ranma raised his eyebrow at the irony of the situation. The animals were here first, and now they talk about throwing them out, and how the animals steal their food when the humans stole their land. At least she didn't say she wants to kill them.

"I'm sorry about that," Ranma apologized on behalf of the animals.

"Oh, no need, Mr. Saotome," Miriam said waving off his apology. "It's not like you can feel them."

She smiled and Ranma thought to himself, 'And how I can feel them.'

As his visitors left he went to the bathroom and made an experiment. He filled the tub with hot water while making sure he had his green jacket on. Splashing cold water on himself from the sink he transformed into a squirrel. Because of his green jacket he had to struggle to get into the tub to change back to his human self.

This time Ranma tried the experiment over with his red clothes on. The shirt became one with his squirrel fur unlike the green jacket. When he hopped back into the tub he turned back to his human self with his clothes visible again.

He had a wide grin on his face as he changed back into a squirrel to meet his new friends. He thought, 'Note to self: buy more red clothes.'

As he arrived at the meeting point he saw them all chatting. To his luck, the cat was nowhere to be found.

**At the ground:**

"And you are sure about the new guy, RJ?" Penny, the mother porcupine, asked with concern high in her voice.

"Hey, he looks nice, and he wants to help us," RJ told them reassuringly.

"Like you when we first met?" Verne, the turtle whom is the leader of this animal community, questioned. His tone full of bitterness from the past.

RJ's smile became bitter within a second, "Do you ever forget that?"

"No," was the blunt response he got.

That's when Ranma came down from the tree near the hedge in the garden.

Ranma noticed the tenseness in the air and asked the group of animals, "Did I interrupt you?"

They all turned their heads to him. Ranma felt a bit uneasy with all the scrutinizing stares. Just RJ, Ozzie, and the other squirrel seem to be cheerful at him.

"Do I have something on my face?" Ranma asked feeling very insecure under their stares.

RJ went over to him offering Ranma a half smile, "No. They are just a little skeptic about new guys."

"Since when?" Ranma asked, curious as to what had happened to start this distrust of newcomers.

"Since me," RJ said with an embarrassed look on his face.

Ranma couldn't help but smile sympathetically at the raccoon, "Sounds like you screwed it up."

RJ nodded while looking at the ground feeling ashamed. Ranma chuckled quietly.

Ranma turned his attention from the raccoon to the other animals. He needed to reassure them that he was not a threat and one they could trust.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" he asked them.

The porcupine kids asked in unison, "Do you know Jackie Chan?"

This time, Ranma laughed aloud, "Sorry kids, but I have never met him."

"Do you want to help me find my nuts?" Hammy asked.

"Very enticing, but no thanks," Ranma said politely to the other squirrel.

"Are you single?"

Ranma's eyes widened. Did the possum girl really ask him that?

"HEATHER!" Ozzie yelled at his daughter for her bold question while the other just stared at her. Hammy laughed aloud finding the exchange to be very humorous.

"What? I just asked him," she said, blushing. (A/N: No, this will not be a Ranma/Heather. Ranma is mentally a human for heavens sake!)

"Yes, I am, but n-no thanks. You're a cute girl 'I think', but uh…" Ranma waved his arms nervously trying to get out of this situation.

"Okaaaay," RJ said coming to Ranma's rescue. "Now a little conception round. You already know me, Ozzie, Hammy, and Verne. She is Heather, Ozzie's daughter, this is Stella, and here are Lou, Penny, and their kids Bucky, Quillo, and Spike."

"Hello, I'm Ranma. Nice to meet ya," Ranma greeted giving a slight bow to everyone.

"So, do you wanna help us with the food?" RJ asked.

"Sure," Ranma answered. "After all, you were here first, so they shouldn't be surprised if you at least take what you deserve in order to survive."

Ranma didn't like big cities. When he was a full human he didn't care, but now he is part animal and really knows what it means to be ignored or hunted just because he wanted some food. And he often had to get himself something to eat while he was in his squirrel form.

"That's the spirit!" RJ cheered. "Now, tomorrow we go to the house of the Jacksons'. They just finished their weekly shopping, so we'll have a big selection."

Everyone nodded, and Ranma grinned. He isn't just helping them because they could use some. No… He really needs the exercise. And tomorrow, he will get it.

(A/N:) Now that's lucky. Your OTH crew gets an overpowered martial artist as a friend.

Next chapter: "A house, some food, and too much hot water."

A special thanks to my good friend and new beta reader: Tabansi232.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the Jusenkyo Spring

Chapter 4: A House, Food, and too much Hot Water

**Next day:**

Ranma was still slumbering away having some blissful dreams when a loud ringing noise caused him to fall right out of bed and onto the floor. Quickly, he recovered from the shock and silenced the alarm clock. For a moment he was confused as to why the alarm clock had been set so early until he remembered that he had to meet his friends for a food heist. Judging from the time on the clock he only had ten minutes till he had to meet them.

With no time for breakfast, he quickly got on his red shirt and pants. Opening the window he jumped out of it landing straight into the pool. The chilly morning water soaked him thoroughly, and he felt the familiar feeling of transforming into a squirrel. Swimming over to the side of the pool with his little squirrel legs he climbed out. Ranma shook the water off himself much like a dog would before he dashed off through the hedge. On the other side he saw that the others were already waiting for him.

"So, you decided to wake up today?" RJ joked with a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Ranma apologized. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, it's simple," RJ told them with a slight bored voice. "The Jacksons are on a family trip. The only thing left is to get in and get the food out."

"Sounds easy enough," Ranma said in an equally bored voice. He had been hoping that he would get a real challenge, so this information left him feeling disappointed.

"Now, let's get going," RJ ordered going through the hedge. The family, plus Ranma, followed the raccoon through the hedge.

After a bit of running they were in front of the Jacksons residence. RJ paused and looked around for an opening. He spotted the open basement window on the side of the house.

"Okay, guys," RJ whispered to the gang laying out the plan. "We're going in through that basement window over there."

Resuming the plan the critters rushed across the yard jumping in through the basement window. As Ranma jumped in landing swiftly on his feet he heard one of the water pipes screech. Gulping inwardly as not to draw attention to himself he carried on following the others. As he neared the water pipe he began walking a bit faster. He seemed to be a water magnet these days. Of course, as fate would have it before he could safely pass the pipe it broke. The steaming hot water rammed into him sending him flying across the room into the wall.

The boiling water wasn't just painful having burned his front badly, but it also triggered his transformation. Ranma's eyes widened in panic as he inwardly cursed himself. Luck seemed to return to him for he spotted a wash basin nearby. Jumping up he turned the faucet letting the cold water come out. He splashed himself with the cold water which quickly turned him back into a squirrel.

"Are you okay, Ranma?" Verne asked in worry as the gang finally found him. Ranma had transformed back into a squirrel just in time.

"I'm fine. I just needed some cold water," Ranma replied with a soft groan of pain.

RJ rummaged through his bag for something. "Got it," he said happily as he pulled out a small tube of burn gel. RJ then turned his attention to Heather with some mischievousness in his eyes.

"Heather, why don't you play nurse for him and catch up with us after you're finished?"

The young female possum nodded excitedly, and RJ gave Ranma a typical "sorry, I couldn't resist" look. Ranma's eyes widened before glaring at the raccoon. He, RJ, was going down for this. Ranma would make sure of it.

The others headed up the stairs leaving Ranma and Heather by themselves. Ranma sighed and sat down to let Heather rub the burn gel on him. Heather squeezed some of the gel out onto her hands. She went to rub the gel on Ranma's back when Ranma cut in.

"Heather," Ranma drawled out. Annoyance clear in his voice.

"Yes?" she replied, confused.

"Just my front is burned," he told her with the same slightly annoyed tone.

"Sorry," Heather apologized with a sheepish grin on her face.

As she started rubbing the gel on Ranma's chest she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. The splash mark Ranma made was much too big for a squirrel to make. Even with the impact the splash of the water wouldn't have covered almost the entire wall with water. Why was the wall almost the whole wall wet from the impact of a small squirrel?

Heather decided to not muse on it and finished her nursing job on Ranma. Ranma nodded a quick thanks to her before they both rushed up the stairs after the others.

"You've got to be kidding!" RJ shouted in outrage as Ranma and Heather entered the kitchen.

"Something wrong?" Ranma asked as he saw that everyone was just standing in front of the fridge with no food or anything out.

RJ pointed to a lock on the fridge door. "They locked everything," RJ replied, upset.

"What did you expect?" Verne said with a small sigh. "We have been stealing from them for such a long time now. They had to learn it someday." Verne turned to leave with a disappointed look on his face, "Come on, we have to go."

"Wait," Ranma said causing everyone to pause and look at him. "I can pick this lock."

RJ blinked and looked at him for a second before breaking out into a huge grin. "Okay!" he cheered. "Let's help him!"

RJ went over and crouched in front of the refrigerator. Ozzie climbed on top of RJ causing RJ to grunt a little from the added weight. Stella climbed up and went on top of Ozzie causing Ozzie to grunt a bit and RJ to shake a bit. Hammy scurried up the animal-made tower and balanced on top of Stella. RJ began to slink down because of the added weight. Not wanting their tower to collapse Heather, Penny, Lou and their three kids started helping RJ hold up the other animals. Ranma quickly climbed to the top of the tower which just managed to reach the lock.

"Hurry!" RJ rasped. His voice strained from holding them up. "You guys are heavier than you look."

Ranma grabbed hold of the lock. He looked down for a second at his friends to make sure that none of them were watching him. Seeing that they all were too preoccupied in trying to keep the tower from falling he decided it would be safe to do this. He held one of his hands toward the keyhole closing his own eyes in slight concentration.

"Moko Takabisha," he whispered causing a small Chi blast to destroy the inside of the lock completely.

Ranma threw the small remains of the lock to the ground which signaled to the others that they could let their tower fall now. Luckily, everyone was able to land safely on the ground instead of landing piled on top of one another. Ranma opened the fridge door causing a bright light to turn on in the refrigerator making the scene seem dramatic.

Ranma had a proud grin on his face, but it faded when he saw the dreamy look Heather was giving him.

"Okay," Ranma said nervously. "Let's grab the stuff and go."

Everyone formed a line leading to the basement window where Hammy was outside to get everything to the log with his I-could-win-a-Formula-1-race-on-my-feet speed.

Ranma had wandered over to wait by the wash basin; not noticing that he had forgotten to turn off the water. By the time he noticed it the water had flooded over the sink and just poured onto him. Surprisingly, the water was not cold, but warm causing Ranma to transform back into a human. Thinking fast Ranma used the forbidden technique Umisenken turning him invisible. He jumped on the counter and reached over the sink turning the water off. It was then that he realized why the water was hot. Earlier he had turned the faucet to the warm side instead of the cold side, but the water hadn't turned warm until after he had already splashed himself with cold water.

Not wanting to spend anymore time reminiscing on his fault Ranma quickly turned the faucet to the cold side letting cool water come out of it. Splashing himself with the cool water he changed back into a squirrel. Ranma made sure to turn the faucet off this time before he jumped off of the counter and got out of the Umisenken technique allowing him to turn visible again.

"Where'd you go?" Lou asked Ranma as Ranma landed on the tiled floor.

"The water was still on," Ranma answered in a casual voice. He grabbed a bag of chips that he had left on the ground when he had gotten hot water poured on him. Tossing the bag of chips to Lou he told him the rest of his answer. "I just turned it off."

Lou grunted his approval of Ranma's response. Ranma couldn't help the sheepish smile that spread across his face. He didn't exactly lie to Lou. He just hadn't told Lou the whole truth.

Having finished the job everyone headed back to the log to drop off their findings. RJ grinned proudly at his family.

"Good job buddies," RJ said very satisfied on how their raid went. Judging by the looks of the animals' faces they were very proud, too. "Oh, and a special thanks to Ranma for his skill with the lock."

Receiving a "Well done!" pat on the shoulder from RJ brought a smile to Ranma's face. It had never been like this with his father-no. He wasn't going to think about _him_.

"You're welcome," Ranma told them. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Before Ranma could leave them Verne questioned in a highly skeptical voice, "Where do you go?"

Ranma paused thinking of an excuse quickly, "I have a home on a tree in Saotome's garden. Bye!"

Waiting until Ranma was out of sight Lou finally voiced his thoughts, "He hides something."

"Oh, come on!" Heather voiced with a cheerful smile. "I'm sure he's a great guy!"

Everyone just gave her a blunt "Of course you would say that!" look before turning back to their suspicions about Ranma.

"Maybe he is held as a pet by one of the humans," Ozzie suggested.

"That could be the answer," Verne responded in a thoughtful voice.

Heather was a bit upset about the accusations they were making about Ranma, but then she remembered the splash on the wall in the basement.

"I…saw something in the basement as I nursed Ranma," Heather said in a stoical voice which caused everyone to stare at her curiously.

"What did you see?" her father, Ozzie, asked.

"The wall had a much too big splash mark for Ranma. The mark seemed to be the size of a human," she told them biting her lower lip a bit.

"Don't be ridiculous," RJ said in disbelief. "How could Ranma make a splash mark on the wall the size of a human?"

Hammy excitedly jumped up and down waving his hand high in the air chanting, "Pick me! Pick me!"

"Yes, Hammy?" RJ said like a teacher would to a student.

"Maybe he **is** a human, and he just disguised himself as a squirrel!" Hammy told them.

At that everyone burst out laughing hysterically.

"Hammy, how could that be possible?" Verne asked while wiping a tear from his cheek caused by all the laughing he did.

**In Ranma's house:**

Ranma sat in his bathtub taking a nice hot bath. The peaceful mood was disrupted though when he sneezed.

"Someone is talking about me right now," Ranma said as he scrunched his nose.

(A/N): Suspicion arises, but no one knows how right Hammy was. In the next chapter: "Trapped and Escaped. The Neko-ken."


	5. Chapter 5

Over the Jusenkyo spring.

Chapter 5: Trapped and escaped, the Neko-ken.

**Next day at the log:**

"So, how is this new guy?" Tiger asked a bit concerned. He didn't feel good yesterday so he stayed home instead of assisting them in the food heist.

"Don't worry," Stella told tiger in a calm voice. "He's okay, if not a bit weird. And speak of the devil…"

As if he were summoned Ranma went through the hedge at that moment. He waved happily to his companions.

"Hello, guys," Ranma greeted with a smile. "How are…" Ranma trailed off and his smile quickly disappeared from his face. In his mind there was just one emotion left. The most flawed emotion of the humans and animals. Panic. Everything became a blur and Ranma's heart started to beat at a dangerous speed. Then:

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ranma screamed so loud that it was enough to be noticed by the humans who lived near the hedge. He then ran up the nearest tree and clung onto it as if he never planned to let go.

Meanwhile, the other members of the family on the ground ran to the source of the ear piercing scream.

"What's going on here?" RJ asked very concerned and confused.

"I don't know," Stella told RJ a bit freaked out by Ranma's reaction to Tiger. "When Ranma saw Tiger he started to scream and climbed up the tree."

In the tree Hammy tried desperately to get Ranma back down. All his attempts were futile, though.

"Please calm down," Hammy pleaded to Ranma. "What's wrong?" Hammy asked while trying to pull one of Ranma's arms off the tree but Ranma's arm didn't even budge. The hyper squirrel had never seen someone this scared before.

"C-c-cat!" Ranma stuttered, frightened. Hammy almost fell off as his hands slipped off Ranma, but he got hold on the tree again and went down.

"Hammy! What's wrong with Ranma?" Verne asked concerned about their new friend.

"Maybe it has to do with Tiger. When I asked him what was wrong he just stuttered the word "cat"," Hammy told everyone in a serious voice. Yes, serious. He was REALLY concerned about Ranma. What could have caused him to act like this? Ranma hadn't even met Tiger before!

Tiger in the time was deep in thought. The cat was trying to think of a reason for this. It had to be a bad experience with cats to cause Ranma to act out like that. If he heard Stella right Ranma was from Japan. Suddenly, an idea of what could have happened to Ranma popped into his head.

"I think I know what's wrong with him," Tiger said to the others before he directed his attention at Hammy. "Hammy, go back and ask him about something called, the Neko-ken."

Hammy looked at Tiger confused, but nodded anyways and darted off up the tree to Ranma again. Up there he was still shivering violently, claws embedded tightly into the tree he was holding onto.

"Ranma, do you know something called, the Neko-ken?" Hammy asked the frightened squirrel.

Ranma's grip hardened to a level where the tree got damaged even more. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly and shakily nodded. Suddenly, the bark peeled off of the tree sending Ranma falling to the ground. His martial arts instincts kicked in and he landed perfectly on his feet, but at the sight off Tiger Ranma started screaming again and ran off.

Hammy came down from the tree, "He said yes, but why is he so afraid of you, Tiger? What does Neko-ken mean? Is it Japanese? How do you know Japanese?"

Tiger frowned, ignoring the rest of Hammy's series of questions, he begun to explain what the Neko-ken was to the rest of the family.

"The Neko-ken is the most terrible legend amongst cats," Tiger explained. "It's a fighting technique with a simple but cruel training." He watched the questioning looks on his friends' faces. "To teach the Cat-fu you got to wrap the trainee from head to toe in fish sausages and then toss him into a pit of starving cats."

Everyone gasped in shock at the cruelty of the training. RJ had a disgusted expression on his face, and tears started to form in Heather's eyes.

"You can just imagine what the cats do when they smell food after a long time of starving. It's truly a miracle that Ranma survived that. This technique is normally learned by humans, but nonetheless it's a horrible crime to do that to anyone."

Verne raised his hand and asked half frightened, but also half curious, "But how should THAT teach someone a fighting technique?"

"That's the damage the Neko-ken leaves for the rest of this poor boy's life. When his fear reaches a certain point he does the only thing to possible avoid his fear. He mentally becomes a cat himself. But not how you know me, because of the mental state of the cats in the pit he just gets a very primitive image of them so he becomes a wild beast. I never saw the Neko-ken myself but I heard the victims can do almost impossible things," Tiger said, the last sentence barely a whisper.

"But who could have done that to him?" Heather asked looking as though she would burst out sobbing any second now.

"I don't know," Tiger said angry. "But this person deserves punishment."

"Is there any way to help our friend?" Ozzie asked with his usual dramatic voice only this time the voice held hope and determination.

Tiger tried to remember some way to help Ranma. There had to be someway to help Ranma, but what? That's when the idea came to him.

"There is one way," he said, stern. "If he becomes a blood brother with a cat he will be cured. But it's risky." His voice became frightened. "When he goes into the Neko-ken while we're doing this he won't know friend or foe and it's even possible that he might kill one of us."

Everyone looked frightened and aghast at what they learned, but they all silently agreed to help their friend. No one deserved to go through that except the person that forced Ranma to. And family sticks together and helps each other no matter what.

**Inside of Ranma's house:**

Ranma was shaking with fear on his couch. He was rolled into a ball hugging his knees to his chest.

"Why a cat? Why a cat? Why a cat?" He chanted again and again as if he were a broken record.

All of a sudden, a picture of one of his martial arts victories fell down off the wall landing onto the floor. The glass cracked a bit, but it did not smash. Ranma knew this was a bad omen.

"I have a really bad feeling right now."

**Next day:**

Ranma in squirrel form walked to the log. He silently prayed that the cat wouldn't be there. His fear and embarrassment from yesterday was still fresh in his mind

"Good morning every…. body."

No one was there.

"Where is everybody? Hello? Hello!" Ranma called out becoming alarmed.

Then, out of the tree branches, came a yell, "NOW!"

All of the animals, except Tiger, pounced on him trapping Ranma down. They held his right arm out.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he asked, scared and confused.

"We found a way to cure your fear of cats, but you won't like it. You have to become a cat's blood brother." Verne told him in a stern but also calming voice.

"WHAT?" Ranma yelled. Before he could say anything more he saw Tiger come into view. Some red blood was on one of his paws causing Ranma to panic. He tried to escape from the animals' clutches and flee. Verne, RJ, and the others were a bit shocked as Ranma managed to pull them all with him.

"Tiger! QUICK!" RJ yelled with a strained voice.

Tiger ran as fast as he could to them and scratched Ranma's right arm with his front claw. Ranma yelped in pain, and his vision became foggy. Tiger pressed their wounds together, and both of them felt a strange power rush. Ranma's vision became clear again, and he fell unconscious to the ground.

Later, he woke up, and the first person he saw was Tiger. Ranma wanted to scream until he noticed that he didn't feel the cold fear he normally had every time he saw a cat. Confusion set in his mind instead.

"What happened?" he asked groggily.

"After we became blood brothers you fell down unconscious, but I think your fear of cats has healed. Well, I guess 'cause you didn't runaway," Tiger said smiling in relief.

Everything came back into Ranma's mind. The trap, the pulling, and the part when their paws connected.

"I'm…cured?" He asked slowly to Tiger. His voice quivering with hope and disbelief.

Tiger nodded, smiling.

A huge grin spread across Ranma's face and he ran up a tree. At the top he screamed out.

"WOOHOOOO!"

At the ground the others were watching him with amusement and happiness.

"I don't think he is angry at us for our ambush," RJ said happily. After seeing how strong Ranma was he had been a bit worried, but all was well now, and the happy Ranma dancing at the top of the tree in glee proved it.

(A/N): Sorry for not updating for so long, but 1.) The feared by everyone writer's block. 2.) My Internet just doesn't wanna work properly.


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